What You May Not Know About The Prince George’s County, MD Health Department

Before the enactment of the Affordable Care Act in 2013, there were 20.3% non-elderly adults (between the ages of 18-64) uninsured. This percentage has gradually dropped over the past three years. According to the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index released in the first quarter of 2016, there are still 11.5% non-elderly adults uninsured. Many of these uninsured Americans may be eligible for healthcare coverage, but for some reason or another, they prefer to remain uninsured.

The Prince George’s County Health Department provides a variety of services to the community. The Health Department’s mission is to protect and educate the public on disease prevention, while making quality healthcare services available and accessible to every individual.

Birth Certificates

The Health Department accepts birth certificate requests from parents, guardians, grandparents, and parties named on the official document. Appointments aren’t necessary, since everyone is provided service on a walk-in basis. You must provide sufficient documentation to verify your identity. Applicants supplying a valid photo ID will receive the birth certificate the same day. Other applicants must provide proof of their physical address, where the certificate will be mailed at a later date. Valid documents for physical address verification include:

Paycheck stub

Personal bank statement

Rental or lease agreement

Current utility bill

W-2 or income tax return

Vehicle registration form

Fees are due at the time service is rendered and payment must be made in the form of cash or money order. Fees will vary depending on the applicant’s birth date, before or after 1940.

Disease Control Services

According to the CDC, there are currently 1.2 million Americans living with HIV. Although, these numbers have slightly decreased over the last decade, Health Departments across the country are working diligently to promote prevention on all levels. If you are sexually active, you should get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, and etc. You can visit or contact the Health Department during business hours to request an appointment. Other disease control services provided include:

Tuberculosis (TB) control

Influenza

AIDS testing and treatment

STD testing and treatment

Behavioral & Mental Health Services

According to NAMI, 43.8 million adults experience mental illness in a given year. The onset of chronic mental illness is 14 years of age for one-half of all cases reported and 24 years of age for three-quarters of the cases reported. If you find yourself in need of mental health services, be sure to contact the Prince George’s County Health Department to schedule an appointment.

Substance Abuse Services

In 2014, there were nearly 25,000 overdose deaths linked to prescription drugs, around 5,000 linked to cocaine, and over 10,000 linked to heroin. These numbers have gradually increased since early 2001, but the federal government is currently working on new strategies to prevent these numbers from scaling higher. The FDA recently approved Naloxone (Narcan) as an opioid overdose prevention. This drug has made its way to retail pharmacy shelves throughout the United States. Individuals can now obtain Naloxone without a physician’s prescription. As of right now, consumers can obtain a Naloxone nasal spray kit, which consists of two doses for $80.

Maternity Care And Women’s Health Services

There were 3,988,076 live births in the United States during 2014. Over 40% of these births were linked to unmarried females, with 26.3% recorded as first birth. Whether you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or trying to avoid pregnancy, you can benefit from the services provided by the health department.

Child Health Services

The local health department provides child health services to persons from birth to 21 years of age. From regular checkups to the detection and treatment of communicable diseases, you will be able to count on the clinicians and staff at the Prince George’s County Health Department. Childhood immunization service is also available by appointment only.